Chapter 46 Display of Terrifying Strength

Glenn Grunwald faced no immediate threat to his position as the team manager, but when a team suffers, it was typically the coach who serves as the scapegoat.

With the Raptors bottoming out and preparing for a top draft pick, Darnell Walker's departure at season's end seemed inevitable. Whether to retain the remaining coaching staff would be deliberated later.

Glenn was under significant pressure; the old contracts would expire soon, and labor-capital negotiations were slated for next year.

The owners hoped to adjust the salary cap system and set limits on player salaries. The players' union vehemently opposed these plans, desiring increased pay for those on minimum wage.

With superstar salaries unhindered and potential increases to the payroll, the costs could overwhelm unless the owners were philanthropists, which they were not.

Therefore, every manager and owner anticipated a looming shutdown, triggered by the exorbitant salaries of stars like Michael, who earned more than most team payrolls combined.

Despite poor performance, the Raptors, being a nascent team, were finding their way. Glenn's prime directive was financial—to help the team profit or at least break even.

Previously, the management was bent on luring a star to ensure home game attendance and fan allegiance, but no one was willing to come.

Now, Glenn was contemplating a new move. What if they signed Jerry as the head coach? Could that elevate attendance? Hadn't this game proved as much?

If he excelled at orchestrating offensive plays, scoring plentiful points and playing attractively, fans would be lured even if the team didn't win. It was good business as long as it pulled a profit.

In the second half, Patrick, Charles, Bruce, Allan, and John continued to play, widening the gap in scores.

The Raptors focused on guarding against outside shots, and Patrick began to score one-on-one, bypassing Marcus with ease, leveraging his advantage over any defender. Charles was relentless fighting for rebounds.

Back on defense, Patrick stayed close to the paint, awaiting penetrations to block and protect the rebounds.

Patrick ripped through the quarter with 12 more points. By the end of the third, he had achieved a luxurious stat line—32 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, and 3 blocks, with the lead at 16 points. It was still a competitive game.

Patrick rested for four minutes in the final quarter, returning as the Knicks amped up their perimeter defense and disrupted the Raptors' rhythm, maintaining their lead.

Two minutes before the end, Patrick was substituted out, his stats solidifying at 35 points, 14 rebounds, 16 assists, and 3 blocks for the game.

What restricted the veteran wasn't a decline in skill, but a draining physical stamina. Thankfully, Jerry's tactics helped Patrick pad his data, with teammates' immediate shots contributing four more assists to his count.

The Knicks harvested their 8th win in a row with a 117 to 99 finish.

The Raptors' loss came as no surprise to Glenn, and he was far from despondent. Leaving the arena, he instructed Jimmy, "Keep an eye on the Knicks, investigate Jerry. I want all the details on him."

Jimmy understood that the youngest assistant in history, Jerry, had caught the general manager's eye. Should Jerry take over as head coach of the Raptors next year, even more impressive records were to be set. Hiring Jerry was a sensational stunt; media and fans would surely turn their focus to the Raptors, regardless of the outcomes.

At the press conference, Patrick became the center of media attention, his popularity peaking.

As a star familiar worldwide, Patrick was known to Asian fans who recognized him from the manga "Slam Dunk," which had infringed upon his likeness, featuring a Japanese high school player that bore a striking resemblance, complete with using his nickname and sharing similar struggles in lacking championships and individual honors.

Western audiences couldn't help but think of him whenever they saw the movie "King Kong." Rumors had it that Hollywood was planning a film called "Battle for the Planet of the Apes," with many fans speculating a connection to him.

He was a figure marked by misfortune, with his career-high of 51 points against the Boston Celtics in a losing effort; even his top assist game against Charlotte ended in a loss.

Now, securing his second career triple-double and a victory, even against a weaker Raptors team, made it all very attention-grabbing.

When the Knicks were down, Patrick took the flak, appearing as a steadfast titan yet criticized for relying on jump shots—a worthless player in love with shooting.

With an eight-game winning streak, Patrick was hailed as the true core. The media began to rationalize his past low performances as injury woes.

His hook shots and fadeaways became signs of successful transformation, with his robust defense, including both individual and help efforts, providing wide coverage in the paint supportive of the entire team's defense.

In truth, Patrick's capacities had seen better days; back in 1996, he was dunking over Mourning and riding over Rodman. Now, he stuck closer to the ground.

Jeff also basked in the limelight, with reporters eager for his commentary.

"After eight games, the New York Knicks are averaging 106.3 points, ranked first in the league. Last season, the same lineup managed just 95.4 points. How did you make this happen?"

With Johnson, Allan, and John delivering stable performances, scoring 15, 22, and 19 points respectively, and with four reliable scorers in the team, role players could easily push the score above a hundred.

Jeff responded, "Firstly, the team welcomed an exceptional assistant coach, and secondly, last season we had several newcomers who needed time to gel. This season, they've fully integrated, cooperating more seamlessly, and I'm proud of them."

When asked about Jerry, Jeff succinctly remarked, "Genius."

Those who resonated most deeply with the term "genius" were the New York Knicks' management team, intimately aware of the source of Patrick's impressive stats. Just as they followed the directive, they witnessed results—a testament to incredible efficiency.

Ernie Grunfeld convened a meeting. "So far, Patrick's stats really could qualify for MVP. Let's discuss how we can promote the team moving forward."

Someone wondered, "Isn't it just about publicizing Patrick?"

"We all know what Patrick was like before. This season, he might set a new career-high for assists, and his offensive efficiency has also increased. My idea is to also promote Jerry," Ernie suggested with a smile, "A Mexican who lived in China before makes for a great hook."

Deputy Manager Glen Walsh interjected, "If we promote Jerry to make him famous, it might be even harder for the team to renew his contract next season, right?

"If we don't acknowledge his contributions, do you think other teams won't see what's happening? As long as the other team's managers aren't fools, they'll notice the drastic change in the Knicks' offense. Remember, the regular season has just started," Ernie sighed.

Silence fell over the room; Jerry's brilliance was undeniable and impossible to hide.

Promoting him meant the Knicks might end on good terms; if he chose to stay in New York come summer, the goodwill would have been worth it. If all credit was given to Jeff, Jerry would undoubtedly be more likely to leave.

Ernie, seasoned in his experience, saw through the situation.